News

San Diego Magazine has once again recognized Frank J. Johnson as one of the few Top Lawyers in San Diego practicing Business Litigation. In selecting who to include in the group of Top Lawyers in San Diego, the publication “invited Martindale-Hubbell®, the company that has long set the standard for peer review ratings with more…

You have worked hard to build your business, fund your retirement and provide for your family.  You may have even formed a living trust to reduce taxes and “protect” your wealth for future generations. But there are real and substantial risks to your assets and estate that you may not even aware of.  That is…

“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!”  Benjamin Franklin The untimely death of Tony Hsieh, the 47-year-old Zappos founder, is a tragic and cautionary tale for anyone considering the benefits of a thoughtful and comprehensive estate/asset protection plan. Hsieh’s life was a whirlwind. His parents were Taiwanese immigrants who came to the…

Johnson Fistel is pleased to announce the addition of attorney Seth Schechter to its San Diego office.  Mr. Schechter has extensive experience counseling high net worth clients with specialized asset protection strategies, wealth preservation ideas, tax mitigation, and estate planning.  “I’m thrilled that Seth decided to join our firm.  With his expansive background and experience,…

Although California produces stellar wine vintages year after year, there has been relatively little production of anything new or positive for California trusts. But the 2021 landscape has changed significantly, the conditions are ideal, and the time is ripe. A recent crop of legislation and cases, including California’s new Uniform Trust Decanting Act and the Paula Trust case,…

Since 2012, the Untied States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has awarded $676 million to 108 individuals, known as whistleblowers, who have reported instances of securities fraud at their respective companies to the SEC.  Recently, the SEC paid $114 million to an anonymous whistleblower.  According to Jane Norberg, Chief of the SEC’s Office of the…

For several years, consumers have been expressing their frustrations with Road Runner’s long practice of charging consumers annual “renewal fees” for VIP memberships.  A simple online search yields many online forums, including the Better Business Bureau and Yelp, filled with consumers who say they were shocked by “mysterious” charges for a Road Runner membership despite…

Beware of the Haunted House! In Mays v. Gretna Athletic Boosters, Inc., defendant operated a haunted house to raise money for local athletic programs.  Plaintiff attended the haunted house at night, and as haunted houses tend to be, it was dark inside.  Plaintiff testified that someone jumped out and hollered at her, scaring plaintiff who…

On May 4, 2020, Johnson Fistel secured another important victory for City of Roswell firefighters when the Supreme Court of Georgia denied the City’s petition for certiorari requesting certiorari review of the Court of Appeals’ unanimous 15-page decision affirming the class certification order issued by Judge Tusan of the Superior Court of Fulton County.  All…

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a massive number of unforeseen cancellations of events and the inability to use paid subscriptions, memberships, and season passes.  These range from gym and amusement park closings, to postponed sports seasons, to concert and vacation travel/accommodation cancellations, to daycare center shutdowns, to ski resort closures.  Consumers often pay for…